Clored flame candle and the method of making the same



Patented May 8, I 1951 COLORED FLAME CANDLE AND THE METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME William M. Fredericks, Spokane, Wash.

No Drawing. Application December 14, 1946, Serial No. 716,434

3 Claims.

My present invention relates to a new and improved colored flame candle and the method of making the same by which a superior product over the known and presently used candles is attained.

Colored flame candles currently used are composed of ingredients which are made in a manner which are conducive to, and which almost invariably have, an unconsumed residue remaining on the wick when the candle is burning, which residue often extinguishes the candle .prematurely,

This residue, which is at times quite heavy, prevents the complete combustion of the Wick, and therefore of the candle, and limits the sizes of the candles which can be made to the very small sizes. These types of candles are mostly made by applying the flame-coloring ingredi ents on the wick in various manners.

In other types, where the flame coloring ingresalts to settle out, with consequent poor and inadequate distribution in the candle body, resulting in an inferior color yield and performance and more in the nature of a firework, which effect it is most desirable to avoid.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to overcome and do away with the residue which builds up on the candle wick when burning and to assure a more even and complete distribution of the flame-colorin ingredients in the candle mass'through new means.

It is further desirable to cut down and eliminate any tendency to produce sputtery and bunchy surges of color in the candle flame, so that a steady and noiseless and more constant output of full color will be visible and to afford amethod which makes it possible to manufacture colored flame candles of most any size desired.

Since the objective is total and complete combustion of all ingredients of the finished candle, so that practically nothing remains of the part already burned, the ingredients to be used must possess the characteristics which will permit this to happen.

The preferred flame coloring agents I use in my process are the perchlorates of the metals, amongst which can be mentioned strontium and lithium perchlorate for a deep red or crimson color, barium perchlorate for green, copper perchlorate for blue, and sodium perchlorate for golden. Their ammonium derivatives or compounds such as strontium ammonium perchlorate, copper ammonium perchlorate, can likewise be used.

It is entirely possible to use the perchlorates alone, however, I have found it more desirable to use them in combination with other ingredients which will modify and tame their fiery and unrestrained nature, and yet not interfere or decrease their output of color in the flame.

Such modifiers or pacifiers or diluents are the alcohols and their derivatives, such as the glycols, glycerol, the ethanolamines, the butylamines, the amylamines, the hexyl, heptyl, octyl amines, and similar products, which are not readily volatile at the ordinary temperature.

When the dispersion of the perchlorates in the alcohols, or their compounds, is added to the candle mass, there results a more intimate and complete dispersion of the flame-coloring agent in the candle body, thus accomplishing the even distribution of the coloring agent.

The alcohols not only serve as dispersing agents, but also serve as a buffer which cuts down the vigor and speed of the reaction when the color is released from the perchlorates in the flame, so that a sustained, vivid, slow, true and quiet display of red or blue or other colors result, depending on the one selected.

The body of the candles can be composed of the usual candle materials such as waxes, but the preferred materials are those which burn with a flame of low luminosity, such as from the solid alcohols or other compounds, such as mannitol, sorbitol, the polyethylene glycols, decamethylene glycol, mannitan monostearate, sorbitan monostearate etc. These compounds can have small additions of waxes or compounds which will be beneficial in raising or decreasing the melting point of the candle mass.

The candles can be made by dipping or molding in the usual manner, and to practically any size desired.

The wicking can be of smaller diameter than usual, in order to conserve on the cost of this item, as well as to insure a flame which burns with less height and size, which will assist the flame colorin agent to more easily fill the flame full of the desired color. A small diameter wick also is more readily consumed in the flame.

Since the total of the ingredients in these new colored flame candles are of a nature which tend to totally consume themselves as they burn, and the wicking used is likewise more easily consumed, it can be seen that it would be possible to make candles of substantially any length desired.

The following examples illustrate the method used, and the ingredients which have given satisfactory results. A person versed in the art can readily devise other mixtures and proportions, based on this disclosure.

The proportions in the examples are by volume of the ingredients.

Example 1.'For a blue colored flame-Dissolve about three (3 parts of copper perchlorate in about four (4) parts of glycerol at the ordinary temperature. Add about one (1) part of this combination to about five (5) parts of mannitol, and heat to just dissolve. The wieking can be dipped in this mixture, or the candles can be cast or molded in the usual manner. When cool, the body of the candle is firm and non-tacky. Candles made in this manner burn with an intense and quiet blue colored flame.

Example 2.-F0r a crimson colored flame.- Dissolve about one (1) part of strontium perchlorate in about four (e) parts or" triethanolamine. Mix about two (2) parts of this triethanolamine containing the perchlorate into about ten (10) parts of melted mannitan monostearate, and make up the candle in the usual manner.

Example 3.For a golden colored flame.- Dissolve about one (1) part'o'isodium perchlorate in about four (4) parts of diethylene glycol. Melt about one (1) part of this solution with about ten (10) parts of sorbitan monostearate. The candles can be cast or molded, or the wicking dipped in this melted mixture, in the usual manner.

The improved colored flame candles made by 3 4 the color selected to be imparted to the flame is practically a full color with little or no visible white flame to interfere with the color.

There is little or no objectionable smoke or fumes derived from the burning candle so that these colored flame candles are ideally suited for indoor use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A colored fiame candle containing approximate volumes of one to three parts of a flamecoloring metal perchlorate, four parts of an ethanolam'ine, and five to ten parts of a candle body-material forming a homogeneous mass.

2. 'The method of making an improved coloredfiame candle-body which comprises intimately admixing in the candle-mass a flame-coloring metal perchlorate diffused in an ethanolamine to form a homogeneous mixture.

3. The method of improving a colored-flame candle which comprises homogeneously incorporating into about five to ten parts of the candlebody-material about one to three parts of a flame-coloring metal perchlorate and about four parts of an ethanolamine, and making up the candle.

WILLIAM M. FREDERICKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,908,044 Nelson May 9, 19.33 2,184,666 Fredericks Dec. 26, 1939 2,270,442 Jares Jan. 20, .194l2 

1. A COLORED FLAME CANDLE CONTAINING APPROXIMATE VOLUMES OF ONE TO THREE PARTS OF A FLAMECOLORING METAL PERCHLORATE, FOUR PARTS OF AN ETHANOLAMINE, AND FIVE TO TEN PARTS OF A CANDLE ABODY-MATERIAL FORMING A HOMOGENEOUS MASS. 